8 countries condemn occupier violence against Palestinians in occupied West Bank

The foreign ministers of eight countries on Thursday condemned escalating Israeli occupier violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including recent attacks on two mosques in northern Ramallah.

Türkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said they condemned “in the strongest terms” continued attacks on the Grand Mosque in the village of Jiljilya and Al-Farouq Mosque in the village of Mazar’a al-Nubani.

The foreign ministers said the attacks constituted a clear violation of the sanctity of places of worship and religious sites, as well as international law, including international humanitarian law and relevant UN resolutions.

They also rejected the “deplorable attacks by Israeli settlers” and continued illegal Israeli measures in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, saying the actions fuel instability, violence and extremism and undermine international efforts to achieve peace.

They held Israel, as the occupying power, responsible for the attacks.

The ministers urged the international community to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities, and compel Israel to halt its dangerous escalation in the occupied West Bank, end illegal practices, stop occupier violence, hold perpetrators accountable and ensure they do not enjoy impunity.

They also reaffirmed their solidarity with the Palestinian people and their support for the realization of their legitimate and inalienable national rights, particularly the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The foreign ministers also reiterated support for efforts aimed at ending the Israeli occupation and achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, in line with international law, relevant UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

About 500,000 illegal Israeli occupiers live in illegal settlements across the West Bank, while another 250,000 live in settlements built on Palestinian land in occupied East Jerusalem, according to Peace Now – an Israeli organization that promotes a two-state solution to the conflict.

Israeli forces and occupiers have killed at least 1,169 Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, injured more than 12,600, and detained around 23,000 since October 2023, when the genocidal war against the Gaza Strip began, Palestinian figures showed.

In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and urged the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.